Joseph s



(No Model.)

J. S. ASH.

GRAIN CLEANER.

Patented June 26, 1888.

Ha m

WITNESSES. INVENTDR.

V 1 mam N. PETERS, Phoio-Lnliwgnpher, Wnhlhgmn, o. c.

JOSEPH S. ASH, OF CANAL WINCHESTER, OHIO, ASSIGNOR ONE-HALF TO CHARLES E. OOWAN, OF SAME PLACE.

GRAIN-=CLEANER.

.EPECIPICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 385,086, dated June 26, 1888.

Application filed February 24, 1587. Serial No. 228,679. (No model.)

To all zuhont it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JosEPH S. Asa, a citizen of the United States, residing at Canal Winchester, in the county of Franklin and State of Ohio, have invented acertain new and useful Improvement in Grain Cleaners, of which the following is a specification.

, My invention relates more particularly to the improvement in machines for cleaning and 1'; scouring grain; and the objects of my inv'ention are, first, to produce asimple and effective machine of this class by means of which wheat or other grain is cleaned by both rubbing and brushing the same between or against suitable surfaces; second, to provide for the escape of the dust or dirt from the machine. These ob jects Iaccomplish in the manner illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is an elevation of my machine,

showing the shell of the outer case, partly broken away. Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken through thecenter of the machine. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the upper shaft bearing; and Fig. 4 is a horizontal section of the shaft 2 and case, showing one of the stationary concave disks, partly broken away. Fig. 5 is a vertical section of a portion of the inner case of the apparatus, showing the corrugations or grooves in the inner surface thereof. Fig. 6

0 represents in top view and in side view the removable rubbing-surface of one of the disks.

Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

A represents an inner conical case or shell,

which is surrounded a short distance from its outer periphery with asimilarly-shaped outer case or shell, B. The space between these conical cases forms a circular conical chanr her, 0, which communicates at its upper end with a fan-box, D, of the usual shape, supported above said cases on suitable support ing posts or frame-work, d.

The bases of the cases AB may be supported in any wellknown way, but are preferably 5 made to rest on the lower flange of a circular angle-iron, 0, made to project from the inner sides of the supporting-frame d.

Frepresents-the vertical operatingshaft,

having its upper end bearing in abearing-box, 5o hereinafter described, prefcrablysecured to an upper cross 4 beam, G. This shaft F is made to pass vertically downward through the center of the fan-boxDand inner case, A, beneath which or at any other suitable point said shaft is made to carry a beltwheel, H, and thence extends into a lower bearing, hereinafter de scribed.

Fixed on the shaft F within the fairbox, in any well-known manner, is a fan, (1, of any suitable and well-known construction.

Rigidly secured to the inner surface of the inner case, A, at equidistant points one from the other, are a series of concave conical disks, a, each of which is provided with a central perforation, a, somewhat larger than the circumference of the shaft F, which passes therethrough.

Keyed or otherwise rigidly secured to the shaft F at a point a short distance below each ofthe disks a is a conical concave disk, b, the outer periphery of which extends to within a short distance of the inner surface of the inner case, A. The under sides of the disks wand the upper sides of the disks 1) are provided with a thin removable perforated metallic plating, b, which is preferably formed of fine wirenetting, which is first submitted to pressure and flattened until but small irregularly shaped perforations remain between its meshes. Fixed on the peripheries of the disks 2) are short outwardly-projecting brushes 0, said brushes being adapted to brush against the inner surface of the inner case, A, the latter being provided with a number ofdust-perforations, 2', communicating with the chamber G. The portions of the inner surface of the case I A with which the brushes comein contact are provided with a number of circumferential grooves or corrugations, j, to prevent the grain from passing downwardly too rapidly.

The upper shaft-bearing, which is located above the fan-box, consists of a metallic box,

through which the shaft passes, and within which are fitted loosely about the shaft four followers or adjusting-blocks, .g. Fitted in a 5 screw-hole formed in the box 9 opposite each block 9 is .a set-screw, h, the inner end of each of which is adapted to bear against one of said blocks. The lower end of the shaft is provided with a downwardly-projecting cen- 10o tral pivot-point,f, which rests in a corresponding depression in the upper side of a bearingblock, is, loosely seated in a cup or box, Z, the latter having a downwardly-projecting bolt, m. Made to pass through the wall of the cup Z are two or more set-screws, m, the inner ends of which bear against the block at opposite points. The bolt m is secured by means of a nut or otherwise to the central portion of a transverse arm, it, having one end hinged to the frame-work and its remaining end pro- Vided with an upwardly-projecting screw, n, with an operating hand-wheel, 0, thereon. Formed in the lower flange of the circular angle-iron e is a number of air-holes, 1), which open into the chamber 0.

Motion having been communicated to the shaft by means of a belt carried by the Wheel H, it will be seen that the wheat or other grain to be cleaned, entering the opening or hopper R, formed, as shown, in the upper part of the cases, and dropping onto the upper concave surface of the stationary disk a, is carried by force of gravity through the hole a, about the shaft, onto the perforated plate of the revolving disk b, from whence it is carried by centrifugal force outward to the brushes 0. Duringthe passage of the grain between the disks a and 1) its contact with the roughened scouring-surfaces thereof formed by the perforated plates d tends to separate the dust and dirt therefrom. The grain, having reached the brush es, passes downward along the inner surface of the case, being brushed during said passage, until it reaches the next stationary disk at, from whence it travels, as described above, until it reaches the bottom of the case, Where it passes out through asuitable opening, 8, formed therein. The dust or dirt separated from the grain passes out through the dust-perforations iinto the chamber 0, from whence it is carried upward into the fan-box D and out through an opening, 1, by a current of air from the airholes 19, caused by the rapid revolution of the fan (1.

It will readily'loe seen that the grain being alternately submitted to the scouring and brushing or scouring process, and the dust and dirt separated therefrom, as above described,

will issue from the machine in a clean and whole I some state.

When it is desired to adjust the shaft perpendicularly in order to bring the rubbingsurfaces nearer together, the shaft may .be raised by elevating the arm n, which may be done in any well-known manner, but is preferably accomplished by turning the handwheel 0, the screw-threads of which engage with the threads on the screw it. This method of elevating the shaft tends to throw the shaft out of its original perpendicular position, which fault may be easily and readily remedied by turning theset-screws h and m of the bearings g and luntil the proper lateral adjustment is attained. The case A being conical, it will be seen that the elevation of the shaft and the brush disks will cause the brushes to'be brought into closer contact with the inner surface of the case, thus by the elevation of the shaft adapting both the brushing and scouring surfaces to the size of grain to be cleaned.

' Having now fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a grain-cleaning machine, the combination of a series of revolving concave disks, b, having removable rubbing-surfaces on their upper sides and brushes on their peripheries, with the conical case A, having dustperforations, and stationary concave disks between each pair of brush covered concave disks, and having rubbing-surfaces on their under sides, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

2. The combination of a series of concave disks,a,having rubbing-surfaces on theirunder side, and a series ofrevolving concave disks, b, having rubbingsurfaces on their upper sides and brushes on their peripheries, with the outer conical case, 13, having perforationsp in the base thereof, and the inner conical perforated case, A, having horizontal corrugations j therein between the rows of perforations, substantially as and for the purpose described.

JOSEPH S. ASH.

Witnesses:

QUINTIN R. LANE, WILLIAM H. LANE. 

